CSN

Montreal transit strike may be looming

Local Journalism Initiative / / / , , , ,

By Dan Laxer
The Suburban

Could Montreal be facing an all-out transit strike?

The 2,400-strong STM maintenance workers – represented by the Confédération des syndicats nationaux (CSN) – voted 97 percent in favour of a strike mandate. This could mean, at some point, an unlimited general strike.

“STM maintenance workers are ready to mobilize,” says Dominique Daigneault, president of the CSN’s Conseil central du Montréal métropolitain. “The STM must move up a gear and issue mandates so that negotiations can move forward if it wants to avoid a strike. For the good of users, we must improve working conditions and rely on public expertise.”

The union represents mechanics and other staffers who maintain the bus and Métro service. It has been negotiating with the STM for almost a year with little progress, said a statement by the union. It has been asking the STM to rein in outsourcing and privatization. The employees also want a better work-life balance, and the union is asking for measures to attract and retain workers. At last Sunday’s general assembly they voted to increase pressure tactics to strengthen their position at the bargaining table.

Bruno Jeannotte, President of the Syndicat du transport de Montréal–CSN, says the STM doesn’t seem willing to move forward in negotiations. “The STM runs every day thanks to the expertise of its maintenance employees. The employer must stop using subcontractors and must work with us to improve our working conditions and salaries. We are seeing more and more people leaving for other sectors. We need to reverse the trend as quickly as possible.”

The STM, the union points out, recently announced job cuts and more subcontracting for adapted transport. It also called out the Legault government for refusing to increase public funding for public transit.

“These negotiations are taking place in a complex context,” says Simon Mathieu Malenfant, VP of Fédération des employées et employées de services publics. “The government and transport companies are passing the buck for funding public transport. Another path is possible: investing in public transport to promote the ecological transition and preserve sustainable jobs.”

In an email to The Suburban, the STM pointed out that an agreement between it and the union expired last January 5. “The STM is doing everything possible to avoid such a situation and will actively continue discussions at the negotiating table. In the event of a strike,” it added, “the STM will communicate the potential impacts to customers in advance and in real time via its customer information tools.” n

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Amazon’s Quebec pull-out hits locals

Local Journalism Initiative / / / , , ,

By Dan Laxer and Chelsey St-Pierre
The Suburban

Just one day after news broke that Amazon is pulling all of its operations out of Quebec, the Amazon sign had been removed from the massive recently built Lachine distribution center. And nearly 2,000 workers – 1,700 permanent staff and 250 temporary workers – were suddenly without a job throughout the province.

The move appeared to have stemmed from a push to unionization. Last April the Confédération des Syndicats Nationaux (CSN) filed with the Tribunal Administratif de Travail (TAT) to represent the 300 employees at the Laval location of the Amazon DXT4 warehouse. A majority of employees joined the union, so the TAT officially certified it in May. July saw the start of negotiations for a collective agreement. Even though talks were not concluded, a statement by the CSN says they had been “progressing.”

The closures, says CSN President Caroline Senneville, “are part of an anti-union campaign against the CSN and Amazon employees.” Quebec was the only Amazon location in Canada represented by a union. There had been attempts to unionize Amazon facilities in British Columbia and Ontario, but those efforts had been rebuffed by the company. The “wild closures,” Senneville says, “is a slap in the face for all workers in Quebec,” Senneville says. “Since the beginning of our campaign three years ago, Amazon has done everything it can to prevent its employees from unionizing: fear campaigns, anti-union messages, contesting the Labour Code, disguised dismissals. And today, we learn that the multinational prefers to withdraw from Quebec rather than respect its obligation to agree on a collective agreement? This is totally unacceptable.”

Senneville points out that there had been a push to unionize at the Lachine location, which was rebuffed by Amazon. In fact, last August the TAT ordered Amazon to stop getting in the way of unionization; the company had posted anti-union posters at different locations. It was also ordered to pay $30,000 in moral and punitive damages.

Amazon’s position, however, is that the closures have nothing to do with unionization. Amazon spokesperson Barbara Agrait provided The Suburban with the company’s position, saying the move “will allow us to provide the same great service and even more savings to our customers over the long run.” Employees impacted by the closures, Agrait says, will be given a package that includes up to 14 weeks pay and transitional benefits, like job placement resources.

Premier François Legault had little to say about the closures. He expressed sympathy for the employees who have lost their jobs, but said the move is “a private decision by a private company.” Federal Minister of Innovation, Science and Industry François-Philippe Champagne said that he reached out to the head of Amazon Canada to express “dismay and frustration” about the closures and resultant job losses. “This is not the way business is done in Canada.”

Workers’ reactions ranged from fear to uncertainty over immediate employment prospects. In the West Island, warehouse workers and logistics specialists have taken to professional networking sites to signal their availability, actively connecting with other local businesses in the area.

In Montreal, particularly around the Lachine facility, workers have created informal job-search networks, sharing leads on warehouse and logistics positions. “Team morale is at zero and no one feels like working,” said one Amazon delivery driver after learning of the closure. “It’s so unfortunate. Over 2,000 jobs will be lost,” said another affected worker. “We’re worried. We have families to support and the notice is very short.”

Meanwhile in Laval, where employees had recently unionized, workers posted they were “dissatisfied” with what they described as a “hectic work pace, low wages and inadequate health and safety measures”. The upcoming closure has sparked a grassroots support network among affected staff in all three regions, with many offering to help colleagues update resumes and prepare for interviews with other employers.

Demonstrations of solidarity have begun taking place at multiple locations, with dozens of unionized Amazon employees in Laval participated in protests as discussions continue between CSN and the company. Local labour organizations remain firm in their stance that the withdrawal is connected to unionization efforts, despite Amazon’s denials.

The company’s departure has also sparked widespread community backlash, with thousands of Quebecers, workers and non-workers alike, joining a boycott movement. Montreal resident Anne Lagacé Dowson, one of the boycott participants, expressed relief at cutting ties with the company. “Amazon is a terrible corporation, unethical, with drivers and people working conveyor belts in horrible work conditions, constantly being rushed,” she said to The Suburban. “I don’t want to do business with this company anymore. I feel relieved.”

Posters supporting the boycott have begun appearing on homes and businesses throughout Montreal. The impact of Amazon’s exit extends beyond immediate job losses. According to company statements, Amazon plans to return to a third-party delivery model, similar to its approach before 2020, which could create opportunities for local small businesses to fill the delivery void. The complete closure of all seven facilities is scheduled to be completed by March 2025. n

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Daycare workers move toward an unlimited strike

Local Journalism Initiative / / / , , , ,

Nelson Sergerie, LJI Journalist

GASPÉ – The approximately 300 educators at CSN-affiliated early childhood centres in the Gaspésie-Îles-de-la-Madeleine gathered for a general assembly on March 19 to vote on a strike mandate that could lead to an unlimited general strike. 

Educators from 12 daycare centres in the region staged their fourth and fifth strike days on March 18 and 19, following a mandate issued last fall. “The educators will discuss the steps needed following the government’s blockage regarding the renewal of the collective agreement and the improvement of working conditions,” says Serge Saint-Pierre, President of the CSN Gaspésie-Îles-de-la-Madeleine Central Council. 

“We see that at the bargaining table, even though there have been discussions, nothing justifies a return to work. The workers’ minimum demands have not been met,” added the union leader. The results of this mandate will be announced nationally as soon as possible. 

The workers are demanding, in particular, a lighter workload; better compensation to ensure attraction and retention; regional disparity bonuses for employees in certain remote regions; measures to improve the quality of childcare, including clearly defined and respected ratios between the number of educators and children, as well as better support for children with special needs. “Our first three days of strike action weren’t enough to make the government see reason. The region’s childcare workers are therefore going to raise their voices with a new strike mandate. Every time we take action, we make progress at the bargaining table. We continue to make our voices heard for the future of childcare centres,” says Katie Leblanc, Vice-President of the Baie à Maria Childcare Workers’ Union. 

The workers had issued strong strike mandates last October and November in the region.  According to the CSN, the average salary for a childcare worker is $29 per hour.  In addition to the strikes of March 18 and 19, previous strikes took place in January and February 

Daycare workers move toward an unlimited strike Read More »

CSN protests against the private sector health care

Local Journalism Initiative / / / , , , ,

Nelson Sergerie, LJI Journalist

CHANDLER – On February 26, the CSN protested against the privatization of the health care and social services network, outside the Chandler office of the Member of the National Assembly (MNA) for Bonaventure, Catherine Blouin. The protest was part of the CSN’s “For a Truly Public Network” campaign. 

Serge Saint-Pierre, president of the Centrale des syndicats nationaux (CSN) regional council for Gaspésie-Îles-de-la-Madeleine, points out that the network has undergone numerous reforms for over 30 years, the last one being the one that led to the creation of Santé Québec last year. 

“We have always advocated public health care rather than private health care,” Mr. Saint-Pierre points out. 

In the Gaspé Peninsula, the union representative notes that some doctors have left the public network for the private sector. “We are afraid that with the reform that has begun, there will be more and more. When we talk about the private sector, we are talking about profit and people have to pay. The government says it won’t cost anything, we will pay the bill. Everywhere the private sector has set up shop, costs have increased and users have had to pay,” notes the president, who wants to raise awareness among users. 

“At some point, they will be forced to take money out of their pockets if we make more and more room for the private sector,” adds Mr. Saint-Pierre. 

“In the private sector, when cases are too heavy, we return them to the public sector. They only take cases with the possibility of making money, that is to say, cases that are not too heavy,” maintains the union representative. 

The CSN criticized the lack of access to local MNAs Catherine Blouin (Bonaventure) and Stéphane Sainte-Croix (Gaspé). 

“We wanted to talk to the Members of the National Assembly and it was never possible,” he says. 

With the Gaspé Peninsula Integrated Health and Social Services Centre facing a $40 million budget cut, Mr. Saint-Pierre says essential services will be affected. 

“Cutting $40 million in the Gaspésie makes no sense. There are people who will not be able to afford to get treatment, who will not receive services at the local level,” says Mr. Saint-Pierre. 

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Strike by CSN-affiliated daycare educators 

Local Journalism Initiative / / / , , , , , ,

Nelson Sergerie, LJI Journalist

GASPÉ – On January 23, at least 150 of the 300 daycare educators in the Gaspé Peninsula and Magdalen Islands, affiliated with the CSN union, demonstrated in the streets of Gaspé, to activate the renewal of the collective labour agreement, which expired on March 31, 2023. 

As a result, parents who have children attending one of the 12 early childhood centres (CPE) in the region had to find alternative childcare for the day. 

This is the first day of strike action out of five adopted last fall. “It’s satisfying to see so many educators mobilized. This proves to us that almost all early childhood educators need better working conditions, better support for children in difficulty, and better pedagogical support. They need better working conditions in general,” states the president of the Gaspésie-Îles-de-la-Madeleine Central Council of the CSN, Serge Saint-Pierre. 

CPEs are struggling to recruit workers, as is the case for the new 71-place facility in Chandler, which is only operating at 25% of its capacity due to the inability to recruit enough staff. 

“We see that in large centres, educators are leaving to go work at places like Walmart or Costco, where they are paid more and the workload is much less,” explains Mr. Saint-Pierre. 

“If we want economic development, if we want regional development, one of the problems we see is the lack of places in early childhood. The government can resolve this issue and make it a priority. That’s what it said it would do a few years ago. We’re still waiting for the results,” says Mr. Saint-Pierre. 

The educators also visited the office of Gaspé Member of the National Assembly Stéphane Sainte-Croix to present their demands. 

“We need early childhood centres. The network isn’t sick, but we’re having trouble retaining workers and attracting them to fill vacant positions. It’s having an impact on the region’s economy to accommodate the children of parents looking for work. Workers aren’t returning to the workforce because there aren’t any daycare spaces,” explained Mr. Saint-Pierre. 

At the negotiating table, some sector-specific issues have been resolved, but no salary offers have been made by the employer. 

Meanwhile, other CPE workers’ unions have settled with the Quebec government. “It’s a matter for the negotiating committee. Why did Quebec settle with the small CPE unions and not make a final offer with the CSN? We have the impression that they want to drag out the negotiations,” believes Gaétan Leblanc, regional vice-president of the CSN’s Fédération de la santé et des services sociaux. 

The union still has four more strike days that can be used as needed. 

The workers are demanding a lighter workload, better pay to ensure attraction and retention, regional disparity bonuses for employees in certain remote regions and measures to improve the quality of services to children. These include clear and respected ratios between the number of educators and children, as well as better support for children with special needs. 

In Quebec, 13,000 educators affiliated with the CSN were on strike on January 23. 

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“Open the ICU to save lives” Lachine demonstrators demand

Local Journalism Initiative / / / , , , , ,

By Chelsey St-Pierre
The Suburban

Demonstrators gathered once again in front of the Lachine Hospital as part of the “Save the Lachine Hospital” effort to restore all services needed in the community-based hospital. Protesters were joined by municipal and provincial public officials, the Confédération des Syndicats Nationaux (CSN), the Lachine Residents Association, the Save the Lachine Hospital committee and multiple elected officials.

Just over a year ago, advocates for the Lachine hospital led by Dr. Paul Saba called for the reopening of the emergency room (ER) that was closed to ambulances and throughout the evening-morning hours. The ER was reopened following a resolution at the National Assembly last April that guaranteed all services at the Lachine hospital as a fully functioning community hospital, however the ICU was never reopened.

“The ER is not fully functional without an ICU to sustain it,” Saba explained to The Suburban. Dr. Saba was reluctant to name the MUHC as he has been the recipient of intimidation tactics for speaking publicly in the past, but as he was pressed by The Suburban for an explanation as to why the ICU was not reopened at the time of the ER reopening given that all speakers clearly demonstrated its need, Saba stated carefully “they need to be made aware of the importance of the ICU within the framework of a fully functioning hospital offering emergency services and hopefully that message will be made clear today.”The Suburban asked if the MUHC was not aware of the essential need of a functioning ICU to support the operations of any ER. Saba simply shrugged and motioned his refusal to speak further.

“The ICU is the only way to have complete healthcare services to offer the population. It is important that healthcare workers express themselves freely about what is really happening in the health and social services sector. The government has opened the doors to private healthcare services while neglecting the public sector. Health services are fundamental in all of our lives, regardless of social economic class,” CSN president for the Montreal sector Dominique Daigneault explained to The Suburban.

“The ICU is the heart of the emergency. Without intensive care we need to call up other hospitals and put patients who need immediate intensive care in ambulances instead,” Lachine hospital nurse Etienne Lebeau said. “The most sick and in need of critical care are currently being transferred out while in a critical state,” Lachine hospital ER nurse Marylene Beccherini explained.

Entertainment legend, author and influencer Sheldon Kagan attended the demonstration in a show of support. “It is incredible that after all these years advocates need to go back over and over to explain the need for its services. As part of the MUHC, it makes no sense that they can’t enable them to operate the facilities that they require and people have to go to hospitals much further away to get the care that they need. Lives can be lost while they are being transported to other hospitals when the Lachine hospital clearly wants to take care of them. It is a tragedy that all services have not been reestablished,” Kagan told The Suburban.

Lachine Mayor Maja Vadonovic focused her remarks on the optimistic perspective of the new construction taking place which promises to bring top of the line healthcare services including a palliative care unit and a training centre for family doctors to the Lachine Hospital but the former mayor of Lachine Claude Dauphin who currently sits on the Save the Lachine Hospital Committee says without the ICU, it’s just a “big new Mercedes without the tires”.

“Our hospital needs to serve our citizens. When I see the occupancy of other hospitals and this one only operating at 65%, why can’t this hospital help support others around it,” MNA for Marquette Enrico Ciccone stated in response to The Suburban. n

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